Topic: Gluten-Free Diet (Read 851 times)

MomOnTheRun · Gluten-Free Diet December 30, 2013, 11:25:04 AM

What's everyone's opinion on the Gluten-free diet trend? Is there any merit to it for people that do not suffer from celiac disease? I have read that a lot of people "feel better" after eliminating gluten...but I wonder if it's because they are replacing processed foods with more fruits and veggies which are naturally gluten-free...

My Kind of Mom · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#1:** January 04, 2014, 03:44:10 PM

I do find that when I eliminate foods with gluten I feel better. Don't know if I have celiac disease or not.

LBStevens · **#2:** January 05, 2014, 07:45:50 AM

I think it's just that - a trend. My sister-in-law and niece both have celiac disease, so eliminating gluten absolutely makes a difference in their day-to-day life (my niece had a really rough year before she was diagnosed). I think the benefits people experience are, as you said, moreso due to eliminating processed foods, than from eliminating gluten. In my opinion, if you don't have an issue with gluten, you shouldn't eliminate it completely (I'm sure you'll benefit from merely cutting down).

One 'diet' trend I'm happy to see, however, is the paleo diet. Hooray for the return to whole foods!

Xarcell · **#3:** January 05, 2014, 10:21:15 AM

Quote from: alimathis on December 30, 2013, 11:25:04 AM

What's everyone's opinion on the Gluten-free diet trend? Is there any merit to it for people that do not suffer from celiac disease? I have read that a lot of people "feel better" after eliminating gluten...but I wonder if it's because they are replacing processed foods with more fruits and veggies which are naturally gluten-free...

It's not a trend, as some people actually suffer when they consume wheat(gluten). I am one of them. When you eat alot of gluten, the intestines can become irritated and begin to swell. Causing a little bit of discontented abdomen, constant gas, and you'll end up having to poo after every time you eat.

It takes about 4 days for the swelling to go down after eating alot of gluten. Alot of products have gluten so it's just about impossible to avoid.

The bottom line is the human body is not setup to disgust it properly. Most people's symptoms or side effects from eating it are so mild, so it goes unnoticed. Or they are so used to the side effects, they don't notice that something is wrong. Also, as you get older, the more it begins to effect you.

You could look at it this way, gluten is a glue, that sticks to all the contours inside the digestive tract and because of the PH level of our digestive fluids, it takes awhile to get rid of. kinda like getting meat stuck between your teeth, takes forever to break down on it's own if you don't pick it out. Intestinal swelling is the body's way of trying to flex it out.

MomOnTheRun · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#4:** January 11, 2014, 10:55:35 AM

Quote from: Xarcell on January 05, 2014, 10:21:15 AM

It's not a trend, as some people actually suffer when they consume wheat(gluten). I am one of them. When you eat alot of gluten, the intestines can become irritated and begin to swell. Causing a little bit of discontented abdomen, constant gas, and you'll end up having to poo after every time you eat.

It takes about 4 days for the swelling to go down after eating alot of gluten. Alot of products have gluten so it's just about impossible to avoid.

The bottom line is the human body is not setup to disgust it properly. Most people's symptoms or side effects from eating it are so mild, so it goes unnoticed. Or they are so used to the side effects, they don't notice that something is wrong. Also, as you get older, the more it begins to effect you.

You could look at it this way, gluten is a glue, that sticks to all the contours inside the digestive tract and because of the PH level of our digestive fluids, it takes awhile to get rid of. kinda like getting meat stuck between your teeth, takes forever to break down on it's own if you don't pick it out. Intestinal swelling is the body's way of trying to flex it out.

I'm pretty sure that gluten has been contributing to my migraines. I have been tested for celiac disease which I do not have. I am also a vegan so I am finding it difficult to accept the fact that I need to stay away from gluten too. I am feeling like I am confined to a diet of carrot sticks and hummus right now!

Sunshine Boatright · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#5:** January 22, 2014, 11:12:27 AM

People with celiac aren't the only ones who should avoid gluten. Their are people with gluten intolerance that are not celiac but still present with major issues from consuming gluten.

That being said, should the mass majority of the population avoid gluten? No.

Erin H · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#6:** January 23, 2014, 08:41:41 AM

I think that if eliminating a type of food makes you feel better, go for it. But if you just eat clean and gradually add in suspect foods, then you can determine exactly what is causing you to feel bad and not just randomly eliminate a whole food.

VA Mom · **#7:** January 24, 2014, 06:55:06 AM

My inital reaction to any diet trend is - no way. That being said - gluten is the devil!

My abdomen bloats like crazy from it so I have been actively avoiding it & have been much better off for it.

MomOnTheRun · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#8:** January 24, 2014, 07:12:12 AM

I do feel better when I avoid gluten.

But the left-side of my brain keeps wondering how something like a natural-unrefined-fresh baked-whole grain bread can really be bad for you.

Having said that I went to my chiropractor last week (I go like once a year, I'm not a regular) because of my migraines. The first thing he said to me was: have you tried eliminating gluten?

sarah · **#9:** January 24, 2014, 09:03:16 AM

I did an exclusion diet for my ibs and food intolerence. I learnt that white bread was better for my sensitive gut rather than wholemeal/wholegrain as I can only cope with a small amount of fibre.

for me not eating gluten was one thing on a very long list of mainly healthy foods to avoid.
After about 3 months my gut healed and I was able to add in the food in small amounts with no symptoms.

I have met people with a real medical need to avoid wheat, some severely intol, celiac or a couple with an ige response. But on the whole many are excluding it for no real reason.

the gulten free from foods are not always a healthy replacement and contain other stuff .

MomOnTheRun · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#10:** January 25, 2014, 09:22:09 AM

I have heard that also - that whole grain bread can be tough on the gut. My doctor also told me that if i was to eat a small amount of gluten it should come from pasta rather than bread, as bread has a lot of sugars in it and is generally harder for people with a gluten sensitivity to tolerate.

GFunk · **#11:** January 27, 2014, 10:09:28 AM

It's not a "trend" for us...my youngest daughter has Celiac and my older daughter and I are intolerant. We all feel inifinitely better on a gluten free diet. The two boys and my husband, though, eat GF at home and gluten out of the house. Of course, cutting out the processed foods and eating more fruits and veggies is great for your health, but it's easy to eat gluten free processed foods, too.

MomOnTheRun · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#12:** January 30, 2014, 05:17:20 PM

GFunk,

How do you handle your daughter's Celiac? Is she in school yet?

I feel better when I eat gluten-free. I have hypothyroidism and I know there is a connection between gluten and the thyroid.

Ali

MaryAnn · **#13:** February 04, 2014, 05:50:48 PM

Great discussion! What resources do you use to find gluten-free recipes? Anybody have any favorite recipes that they would like to share?

MaryAnn

lesacap12 · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#14:** February 04, 2014, 09:48:04 PM

My daughter has a gluten intolerance and has found eating gluten free keeps her from suffering as stated above. I too am in search of decent recipes, she especially misses the bread, bagels, etc. Has anyone found a brand of breads that doesn't taste like cardboard?

Mei Marcie · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#15:** February 04, 2014, 10:03:55 PM

Anyone has eczema and found cutting gluten useful? Seems like research in this area is not solid, and the two are not studied to be connected. Anyone?

Sunshine Boatright · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#16:** February 21, 2014, 02:12:21 PM

I forgot to add before...

Some people w/gluten intolerance (NOT celiac, do NOT do this if you have celiac), respond fine to properly prepared sourdough bread.

So if you're not celiac, but find that maybe certain things with gluten do bother you a bit, try sourdough for a while and see how that goes for you.

MomOnTheRun · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#17:** February 22, 2014, 10:15:00 AM

Quote from: Sunshine Boatright on February 21, 2014, 02:12:21 PM

I forgot to add before...

Some people w/gluten intolerance (NOT celiac, do NOT do this if you have celiac), respond fine to properly prepared sourdough bread.

So if you're not celiac, but find that maybe certain things with gluten do bother you a bit, try sourdough for a while and see how that goes for you.

Interesting...

Jeanine · **#18:** February 25, 2014, 09:09:19 AM

For those of you who are trying to be gluten free - have you discussed it with your doctor? Do you feel they support the decision?

- Jeanine

Sunshine Boatright · Re: Gluten-Free Diet **#19:** February 25, 2014, 01:34:09 PM

Ali,

The general theory is that because with sensitivity, the pre-digestion I guess you could call it of the gluten that happens with properly made sourdough makes it so the body doesn't have to do that step thereby avoiding the irritation. That's a very general summation of it anyway.

Sourdough is a fermented food. And fermented foods aide in digestion and helping the gut in general.